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A Description of Cape Cod,&c 



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DESCRIPTION 

OF THE 

EASTERN COAST 

OF THE 

COUNTY OF BARNSTABLE, 

FROM 

CAPE COD, OR RACE POINT, 

IN LATITUDE ^2^ 5'. 

rO CAPE MALEBARRE, 

OR THB 

SANDY POINT OF CHATHAM, 

IN LATITUDE 41*^ 33'. 
, POINTING OUT THE SPOTS, ON WHICH THB 

TRUSTEES OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY 

HAVE ERECTED HUTS, AND OTHER PLACES 
WHERE SHIPWRECKED SEAMEN MAY 

LOOK FOR SHELTER, >^, ^ ^ 

October, 1802. 



By a Member of the Humane Society » 



BOSTON 



'P 



Printed by HOSEA SPRAGUE, No. 44 Marlboro' Street, 

x8o2. 



\njLi 



At a Meeting of the Trustees of the Humane Society, 

October 4, 1802. 

A Gentleman who was requested by the Trustees to 
contract for a number of Huts ^ to be erected upon the most 
exposed places upon Cape Cod^ for the preservation of 
shipwrecked Seamen^ made the following Report^ which 
was read and accepted. Whereupon^ after voting the 
thanks of the Trustees for the following accurate and 
judicious Report^ 

It was Voted — That the Treasurer he requested to 
have two thousand Copies of said Report printed^ and 
cause the same to he dispersed a?nong the several CuS' 
ion>houses and Insurance Offices in this Commonwealths 

A true Extract from the Minutes. 

Atteft. JOHN AVERY, Secretary, 



A Description of Cape Cod, &c. 



X HE curvature of the shore, on the west side 
•f Provincetown, and south of Race Point, is called Plerring 
Cove ; which is three miles in length. There is good anchor- 
ing ground here ; and vessels may ride safely in four or five 
fathoms of water, when the wind is from north east to south- 
east. 

On Race Point stand about a dozen fishing huts, containing 
fire places and other conveniences. The distance from thefe 
huts to Provincetown, which lies on Cape Cod harbour, is 
three miles. The passage is over a sandy beach, without grass 
or any other vegetable growing on it, to the woods, through 
which is a winding road to the town. It would be difficult, 
if not impossible, for a stranger to find his way thither in the 
dark ; and the woods are so full of ponds and entangling 
swamps, that if the road was missed, destru6:ion would proba- 
bly be the consequence of attempting to penetrate them in the 
night. 

Not far from Race Point commences a ridge, which extends 
to the head of Stout's Creek. With the face to the east, on 
the left hand of the ridge is the sandy shore ; on the right is a 
narrow sandy valley ; beyond which is naked sand, reaching to 
the hills and woods of Provincetown. This ridge is well cov- 
ered with beach grass ; and appears to owe its exiftence to that 
vegetable. Beach grass, during the spring and summer, 
grows about two feet and a half. If surrounded by naked 
beach, the storms of autum.n and winter heap up the sand on 
all sides, and cause it to rise nearly to the top of the plant. In 



6 

$&.€ ensuing spring the grass sprouts anew ; is again covered 
mth sand in the winter ; and thus a hill or ridge continues to 
ascend, as long as there is a sufficient base to support it, or 
tdH the circumscribing sand, being also covered with beach 
^ass, will no longer yield to the force of the winds. 

On this ridge, half way between Race Point and the head 
cf Stout's Creek, the Trustees of the Humane Society have 
erected a hut. It stands a mile from Peaked Hill, a land-mark 
^ell known to seamen ; and is about two miles and a half 
£om Race Point. Seamen, cast away on this part of the coast, 
will find a shelter here ; and in north-east storms, should they 
S:rik:e to the leeward of it, and be unable to turn their faces to 
the windward, by passing on to Race Point, they will soon 
come to the fishing huts before mentioned. 

At the head of Stout's Creek the Trustees have built a sec« 
end hut. Stout's Creek is a small branch of East Harbour in 
Truro. Many years ago there was a body of salt marsh on it ; 
aad it then deserved the name of a creek. But the marsh 
was long since destroyed ; and the creek now scarcely exists, 
appearing only like a small depression in the sand, and being 
entirely dry at half tide. The creek runs from north-west to 
saouth-east, and is nearly parallel with the shore on the ocean, 
ifrom which it is at no great distance. Not far from it the 
liilLs of Provincetown terminate ; and should not the hut be 
found, by walking round the head of the creek, with the face 
to the west, the hills on the right hand, and keeping close to 
the. shore on the harbour, in less than an hour the shipwrecked 
seamen would come to Provincetown. 

The Humane Society, several years ago, ere£led a hut at 
the head of Stout's Creek. But It was built In an improper 
manner, having a chimney in it ; and was placed on a spot 
where no beach grass grew. The strong winds blew the sand 
from its foundation, and the weight of the chimney brought it 
to the ground ; so that in January of the present year it was 
entirely demolished. This event took place about six weeks 
tefore the Brutus was cast away. If it had remained. It is 
probable that the whole of the unfortunate crew of that ship 



7 

•would have been saved, as they gained the shore a few roll 
only from the spot where the hut had stood. 

The hut now ere(5led stands on a place covered with hc2^ 
grass. To prevent any accident from happening to it, or m 
the other hut near Peaked Hill, the Trustees have secured das 
attention of several gentlemen in the neighbourhood. JDte» 
Thaddeus Brown and Capt. Thomas Sm alley of Provinceto^wat 
have engaged to inspe<5t both huts, to see that they are suppE* 
cd with straw or hay in the auttimn, that the doors and wIob* 
dows are kept shut, and that repairs are made, when ne-cessaiy. 
The Rev. Mr. Damon of Truro has also promised to visit tUos 
hut at Stout's Creek twice or thrice in a year ; and the Re^» 
Mr. Whitman of Wellfleet, distinguished through the coumt^ 
for his a<5livity and benevolence, has undertaken, though see* 
mote from the place, the same charge. 

From the head of Stout's Creek to the termination of ths 
salt marsh, which lies on both sides and at the head of EasS; 
Harbour river, the distance is about three miles and a ha]£ 
A narrow beach separates this river from the ocean. It isiidi; 
so regular a ridge as that before described, as there are on ^• 
.one or two hills, which the neighbouring inhabitants call i^ 
ands. It may w ithout much difficulty be crossed every where^, 
except over these elevations. By these hills, even during the 
night, the beach may be dlstinguifiied from those hereafter to 
be mentioned. It lies from north-west to south-east ; and is 
in most parts covered with beach grass. The hills have a few 
shrubs on the declivities next the river. At the end of the 
marsh the beach subsides a little ; and there is an easy passage 
into a valley, in which are situated two or three dwelling hous- 
es. The first on the left hand, or south, is a few rods only 
from the ocean. 

The shore, which extends from this valley to Race Point, is un- 
questionably the part ofthe coast the most exposed to shipwrecks. 
A north east storm, the most violent, and fiitalto seamen, as it 
is frequently accompanied with snow, blows dlre«5lly on theland^ 
a strong current sets along the shore : add to which that shlps^ 
during the operationof sucha storm, endeavour to work to the 



8 

,ziortIiward, that they may get into the bay. Should they be 
unable to weather Race Point, the wind drives them on the 
^ore, and a shipwreck is Inevitable. Accordingly, the strand 
is every where covered with the fragments of vessels. Huts 
.therefore, placed within a mile of each other, have been thought 
necessary by many judicious persons. To this opinion the 
Trustees are disposed to pay due respedt ; and hereafter, if the 
funds of the Society increase, new huts will be built here for 
the relief of the unfortunate. 

From the valley above mentioned the land rises, and less than 
a mile from it the High Land commences. On the first elevat- 
ed spot, the Clay Pounds, stands the Light House. The shore here 
turns to the south ; and the High Land extends to the Table 
iand of Eastham. This High Land approaches the ocean 
with steep and lofty banks, w^hich it Is extremely difficult to 
climb, especially in a storm. In violent tempests, during very 
high tides, the sea breaks against the foot of them, rendering 
it then unsafe to walk on the strand, which lies between them 
and the ocean. Should the seaman succeed in his attempt to 
ascend them, he must forbear to penetrate into the country, as 
houses are generally so remote, that they would escape his re- 
search during the night : he must pass on to the vallies, by 
•which the banks are intersected. These vallies, which the in- 
habitants call Hollows, run at right angles with the shore ; and 
in the middle, or lowest part of them, a road leads from the 
dwelling houses to the sea. 

The first of these vallies Is Dyer*s Hollow, a mile and a half 
south of the Light House. It is a wide opening, being two hun- 
dred rods broad from summit to summit. In it stands a 
dwelling house, a quarter of a mile from the beach. 

A mile and a half south of Dyer's Hollow, is a second vaU 
ley, called Harding's Hollow. At the entrance of this valley, 
the sand has gathered ; so that at present a little climbing is 
necessary. Passing over several fences, and taking heed not 
to enter the wood en the right h:ind, at the distance of three 
quarters of a mile, a house is to be found. This house stands 



9 

on t^e south side of the road ; and not far from it, on the souths 
IS Pamet river, which runs from east to west through a body 
of salt marsh. 

The third valley, a half of a mile south of Harding's Hol- 
low, is head of Pamet Hollow. It may with ease be distln« 
guished from the other hollows mentioned, as it is a wide open- 
incr, and leads immediately over a beach to the salt marsh at 
the head of Pamet river. In the midct of the hollow the sand 
has been raised by aArush fence, carried across it from north 
to south. This must be passed ; and the shipwrecked marin- 
er will soon come to a fence, which separates what is called 
the road from the marsh. If he turns to the left hand, or 
south, at the distance of a quarter of a mile, he will discover 
a house. If he turns to the right hand, at the distance of half 
a mile, he will find the same house, which is mentioned in the 
foregoing paragraph. 

The fourth opening, three quarters of a mile south of Head 
of Pamet, is Brush Valley. This hollow is narrow, and climb- 
ing is necessary. Entering it, and inclining to the right, three 
quarters of a mile will bring seamen to the house, which is sit- 
uated at the Head of Pamet. By proceeding straight forward, 
and passing over rising ground, another house may be discov* 
ered, but with more difficulty. 

These three hollows, lying near together, serve to designate 
each other. Either of them may be used ; but Head of Pam- 
et Hollow is the safest. 

South of Brush Valley, at the distance of three miles, there 
is a fifth opening, called New comb's Hollow, east of the head 
of Herring river in Wellfieet. This valley is a quarter of a 
XHiIq wide. On the north side of it, near the shore, stands a 
fishing hut. 

Between the two last vallies the bank is very high and steep. 
From the edge of it, west, there is a strip of sand, a hundred 
yards in breadth. Then succeeds low brushwood, a quarter 
cf a mile wide, and almost inpassible. After which comes 
B. thick, j)erplexing forest, in which »ot ^ house is to bs discoY?! 



I© 

ered. Seamen therefore, though the distance between these tvtB 
valHes is great, muft not attempt to enter the wood, as in ^ 
snow storm they vvould undoubtedly perish. This place, SO 
formidable in description, will however lose somewhat of its 
terrour, when it is observed, that no instance of a shipwreck 
on this part of the coast is recoUefled by the oldest inhabitants 
of Wellfleet, 

Half of a mile south of Newcomb's Hollow, is the fixth val« 
ley, called Pearce's Hollow. It is a small valley. A housft 
stands at the distance of a little more than a quarter of a mile 
from the beach, west by south. 

The seventh valley is Cohoon's Hollow, a half of a mile 
south of Pearce's Hollow. It is not very wide. West from 
the entrance, several houses may be found at the distance of a 
cf a mile. This hollow lies east by north from Wellfleet meet* 
ing house. 

Two miles south of Cohooi*s Hollow, the eighth valley is 
Snow's Hollow. It is smaller than the last. West from the 
chore, at the distance of a quarter of a mile, is the county road, 
which goes round the head of Blackfish creek. Passing through 
this valley to the fence, which separates the road from the up- 
land and marsh at the head of the creek, a house will immedi- 
ately be found by turning to the right hand, or north. There 
are houses also on the left, but more remote. 

The High Land gradually subsides here, and a mile and a 
half south terminates at the ninth valley, called Fresh Brook 
Hollow, in whitrh a house is to be found a mile from the shore, 
west. 

The tenth, two miles and a half south from Fresh Brook 
JloUovy, is Plum Valley, about three hundred yards wide. 
West is a house, three quarters of a mile distant. 

Between these two vallies is the Table Land. 

After this there. is no hollow of importance to Cape Male- 
barre. 

From Fresh Brook Hollow to the commencement of Nau* 
set beach, th? Imik ii^n Uis ocean is about sixty feet high. 



II 

There are houses scattered over the plain, open country : but 
none of them are nearer than a mile to the shore. In a storm 
of wind and rain they might be discerned by day light ; but 
in a snow storm, which rages here with excessive fury, it would 
be almost impossible to discover them either by night or by 
^ay. 

Not far from this shore, south, the Trustees have ere£ted « 
third hut, on Nauset beach. Nauset beach begins in latitude 
^.l** 51'. and extends south to latitude 41^ 41'. It is divided 
into two parts by a breach, which the ocean has made through 
It. This breach is the mouth of Nauset or Stage harbour j: 
and from the opening the beach extends north two miles and 
a quarter, till It joins the main land. It is about a furlong wide 
and forms Nauset harbour ; which is of little value, its entrance 
being obstru<5led by a bar. This northern part of the beach 
may be distinguished from the southern part by its being of a 
less regular form : Storms have made frequent irruptions 
through the ridge, on which beach grass grows. 0n an ele* 
vated part of the beach, stands the hut, about a mile and a half 
north of the mouth of Nauset harbour. Eastham meeting 
house lies from it west south west, distant a mile and three 
quarters. The meeting house is without a steeple ; but it may 
be distinguished from the dwelling houses near it by its situa- 
tion, which is between two small groves of locusts, one on the 
south and one on the north, that on the south being three times 
as long as the other. About a mile and a quarter from the hur, 
west by north, appear the top and arms of a windmill. The 
Rev. Mr. Shaw and Elisha Mayo, Esq. of Eastliam have engar-. 
ged to inspect this building. 

The southern part of Nauset beach, most commonly called 
Chatham beach, and by a few persons Potanumaquut beach, 
begins at the mouth of Nauset harbour, and extends eight or 
nine miles south to the mouth of Chatliam harbour. Jt is a- 
bout fifty rods wnde. A regular, well formed ridge, which in 
the most elevated part of it is forty feet high, runs the whole 
length of it j and, with the. exception of a few spots, is covcrei 



tirith beach grass. This beach forms the barrier of Chatham 
harbour, which from Strong island north receives the name of 
Pleasant bay. A mile south of the entrance of Nauset har- 
bour, it joins the main land of Orleans, except in very high 
tides, when the sea flows from the north eastern arm of Pleas- 
ant bay into the harbour of Nauset, completely insulating the 
beach. By those, who are acquainted with the shallow, it may 
be safely forded at any time ; but strangers must not venture 
to pass it, when covered with water, as below, the channel is 
seven feet deep. On this beach, about half way between the 
entrances of Nauset and Chatham harbours, the Trustees have 
ereded a fourth hut. The spot selecSled is a narrow part of the 
beach. On the west, the water adjoining it is called Bass Hole. 
Salt marsh is north and south of it next the beach, but is here 
interrupted. Orleans meeting house lies from it north west. 
The meeting house is v»rithout a steeple, and is not seen ; but it 
Is very near a windmill placed on an elevated ground, a con- 
spicuous objed to seamen coming on the coast. It may be 
lieceflary to add that there are three windmills in Orleans form- 
ing a semicircle, that the mill referred to is on the right hand, 
or north east point, and that the mill in the middle point of the 
semicircle stands on still higher ground. The meeting house 
of Chatham is fituated from it south west. This meeting house 
is also without a steeple, and is concealed by Great Hillj a no- 
ted land mark. The hill appears with two summits, which 
are a quarter of a mile apart. The hut lies east from Samp- 
son's ifland in Pleasant bay. Timothy Bascom, Esq, of 
Orleans has undertaken to inspedl this hut. 

Lest seamen should miss this hut, by striking to the leew^ard 
of it, the Trustees have ere(^ed another on the same beach. It 
stands a mile north of the mouth of Chatham harbour, east of 
the meeting house, and opposite the town. 

Another spot on the same beach would be a proper situation 
for a hut. It is north of the fourth hut, and east of the middle 
of Pochet iflaud. The highest part of the ridge is near it, south* 



*3 

A break in the ridgf, over which the sea appears sometimes to 
have flowed, divides this high part from the northern portion of 
the beach. ^ 

On the beach of Cape Malebarre, or the Sandy Point of Chat* 
ham, the Trustees have built a fixth hnt. This beach stretches 
from Chatham, ten miles into the sea, toward Nantucket ; and 
is from a quarter to three quarters of a mile in breadth. It is 
continually gaining south : above three miles have been added 
to it during the past fifty years. On the east side of the beach 
is a curve in the shore, called Stewart's Bend, where vessels may- 
anchor with safety, in three or four fiithoms of water, when the 
wind blows from north to south- v/est. North of the Bend 
there are several bars and shoals. A little below the middle of 
the beach, on the west side, is Wreck Cove, which is navigable 
for boats only. The hut stands two hundred yards from the 
ocean, south east from the entrance of Wreck Cove, a half of 
a mile. Between the mouth of the Cove and hut, is Stewart's 
Knoll, an elevated part of the beach. The distance of the hut 
from the commencement of the beach is fix miles, and from its 
termination four. Great Hill in Chatham bears north by west, 
distant six m.iles ; and the south end of Morris's island, which 
is on the west side of the beach, north by east, distant four miles. 
Richard Sears, Esq. of Chatham has engaged to vifit the two 
last mentioned huts. 

Two miles below the sixth hut is a fishing house, built of 
thatch, in the form of a wigwam. It stands on the west side 
of the beach, a quarter of a mile from the ocean. Annually 
in September it is renewed ; and generally remains in tolerable 
preservation during the winter. 

Another spot, a few rods from the sea, four miles south from 
the commencement of the beach, and a half of a mile north of 
the head of Wreck Cove, would be a proper situation for a 
hut. A little south of this spot, in storms and very high tides, 
the sea breaks over from the ocean into Wreck Cove. 

Cape Malebarre beach may be distinguiftied from the two 
beaches before described, not only by it^J greater breadth, but 



also by its being of a less regular form. It is not so well covt 
cred with grass as Chatham beach. From Stewart's Knoll, 
south, to the extremity, it is lowest in the middle. In this 
valley, and in other low places, fresh water may be obtained 
by digging two feet into the sand. The same thing is true of 
Nauset and Chatham beaches. 

The six huts, the situation of wliich has thus been pointed 
out, are all of one size and shape. Each hut stands on piles> 
js eight feet long, eight feet wide, and seven feet high ; a slid- 
ing door is on the south, a sliding shutter on the west, and a 
pole, rising fifteen feet above the top of the building, on the 
tast. Within, it is supplied either with straw or hay ; and k 
'farther accommodated with a bench. 

The whole of the coafl:, from Cape Cod to Cape Malebarre^ 
is sandy, and free from rocks. Along the shore, at the dis- 
tance of a half of a mile, is a bar ; which Is called the Outer 
bar, because there are smaller bars within it, perpetually vary* 
jng. This cuter bar is separated into many parts by guzzles, 
or small channels. It extends to Chatham ; and as it proceeds 
southward, gradually approaches the shore and grows more 
shallow. Its general depth at high water is two fathoms, and 
three fathoms over the guzzles ; and its least distance from 
the shore is about a furlong. Off the mouth of Chatham har- 
bour there are bars which reach three quarters of a mile ; and 
off the entrance of Nauset harbour the bars extend a half of a 
mile. Large, heavy ships strike on the outer bar, even at high 
water ; and their fragments only reach the shore. But smalU 
er vessels pass over it at full sea ; and when they touch at low 
water, they beat over it, as the tide rises, and soon come to the 
land. If a vessel is cast away at low water, it ought to be left 
with as much expedition as possible ; because the fury of the 
waves is then checked, in some measure, by the bar ; and be- 
cause the veffel is generally broken to pieces with tlie rising 
flood. But seamen, shipwrecked at full sea, ought to remain 
m board till near low water ; for the vessel does not then 



Lreak to pieces ; and by attempting to reach the land befor* 
the tide ebbs av;ay, they are in great danger of being drowned* 
On this subjed there is one opinion only among judicious mar- 
iners. It may be neceflary however to remind them of a truth, 
of which they have full convi(ftion, but which, amidst the a?i« 
Utioa and terrour of a storm, they too frequently forget. 



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